The New Balance Numeric team came out of the gates with a small but heavy team back in May. We could only wonder if and who would be added to the four-man squad of Arto, PJ, Levi, and Tom K down the road. Well now, just a short couple months later, San Diego rippers Tyler Surrey and Jordan Taylor have been added to round out the crew. Add in the video prowess of Russell Houghten and Joe Pease, John Rattray as team manager, and a new video offering A Place In The Sun that just dropped, and the NB picture is taking shape nicely. Already on a new video trip in Vancouver, we got the two handsome new team riders on the phone for these words.

Tyler Surrey:

Is this your first time up in Vancouver?Nah, I actually came up here like four years ago for a little trip.

Do you like it up there?Yeah it’s super nice, the weather has been perfect since we’ve been here so it’s more enjoyable for sure.

How did the opportunity for you to ride for New Balance Numeric come about?I think Seb [Palmer] kind of hooked it up because he was doing éS and I was getting shoes from them, then that went under and he went over to New Balance. One day he gave me a call and talked to me about it, he told me about the idea they were working on and stuff. That was pretty cool.

How would you describe the shoes to someone who hasn’t seen the initial line yet?Well I’ve only been focusing on the Stratford cause that’s all I’ve been skating, but they’re super comfortable. They obviously have the technology and resources to make a good shoe, but the material breaks in the first or second day you put them on so that’s super nice. As far as the Stratford, there’s no real stitches to rip, it’s all a one-piece shoe, so they hold up as long as you want. They form to your feet really good.

Did you know all the team guys before you got on?I actually didn’t really know any of them. I knew Levi and I think that’s about it. I didn’t know Arto or Jordan or PJ, didn’t know Tom.

You didn’t know Jordan living in San Diego? You never skated with him?No, I heard his name but I never really made it up to Encinitas so I never met him until the first trip to LA. I only knew Levi and Russell.

“It’s cool because everyone is super diverse personality-wise and skating-wise. It seems that everything mixes together well and complements one another.”—Tyler Surrey

Who’s you favorite dude on the team now that you know them all and have been on trips with them?I can’t really choose a favorite. It’s cool because everyone is super diverse personality-wise and skating-wise. It seems that everything mixes together well and complements one another. Everyone is different and I appreciate everyone.

How much input do you have on the shoes and designs?They just showed me the designs they had and I said what I thought looked cool, but I didn’t really change anything personally. When they got the samples in, they gave me some to skate and I told them what kind of felt weird and what was falling out a little bit and what they could fix and make it a little better.

What’s the A Place In The Sun video all about that’s coming out today?It’s pretty much the first trip video we did. The first of four we’re trying to do this year and it was just us skating in LA, Hollywood vibes, trip vibes, everyone meeting each other and just having a good time.

Is this Vancouver one going to be next?Yeah this is the next one, they’re making a trip video out of this. This one has a different video editing to it so people will like it for sure.

What else should people know about New Balance Numeric?They should know that it’s not a corporate sellout vibe how some people put it. It’s still actually owned by the same family, its not corporate owned, it’s privately owned. That’s pretty cool and it’s all a team, you got Russell making the video and Joe Pease. As far as the LA one it was all Russell, but this [Vancouver] one we got Pease filming with Russell, so everyone has a good mind who’s a part of it so it should be a good program.

Jordan Taylor:

What’s going on in Vancouver?NB Vancouver trip.

Just skating, filming, and shooting photos?Yeah we’re making a little video project, shooting photos as well. [Brian] Gaberman came out which is pretty sick.

You’re getting to shoot with the legend.I know right, I’ve never been up here it’s sick.

How did the opportunity for you riding for New Balance Numeric come about?Probably through Tom K and Russell. I knew them and knew that it was happening and things were, I don’t know how to say it, Dekline wasn’t working out for me I guess. So I just went for it knowing Tom and Russell and it worked out.

For someone who hasn’t seen the initial offering how would you describe the collection of shoes?Super tight, they’re slightly different so it’s cool, there’s kind of a feel for everyone. There’s a good vulc shoe and then there’s a thinner type of shoe. There’re only four shoes and they’re making two more new ones, but the four I’ve seen are really good in their own way.

Jordan Taylor, 50-50 drop down to 50-50. Photo: O’MEALLY

Did you know everyone before you got on the team?Kind of, I didn’t know PJ. Definitely met him for the first time when I got on. I think I knew Arto and Levi a little bit and then I knew Tom K pretty well.

Do you have a favorite dude on the team?Everyone is super tight. A favorite? I mean Arto is a legend, I grew up watching that dude.

How much input do you have with the design and the shoes that are coming out?I’m not sure with how much input, but they’re definitely interested in what we think about the shoes and how everything works. They definitely like to know how it’s preforming out in the streets.

What’s the A Place In The Sun video all about?F—king rad, we just all got an apartment, we basically made a trip to LA but everyone lived in LA already so it was funny. It was an apartment in West Hollywood and we all just stayed there for two weeks and filmed with Russell. We made that video within three months with a solid two-week trip that was dedicated to it. Everything else was whoever lived in LA would just film with Russell for bonus.

What else should people know about the New Balance team that’s coming out?The vibe is definitely sick and it’s pretty true to skateboarding. Rattray is the team manager you know? It doesn’t get much better than that.

“Rattray is the team manager you know? It doesn’t get much better than that.”—Jordan Taylor

Check out Tyler and Jordan‘s bio pages. New Balance Numeric shoes will be in your local skate shop next week. Check out even more photos of the team below.